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  • Impressive outing not enough
    Gilgeous-Alexander racked up 30 points (12-22 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 4-6 FT), six rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals across 43 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Whether the Thunder struggle offensively or not, Gilgeous-Alexander will always get the job done. Unfortunately, he couldn't do everything on his own Wednesday, and he came up short of carrying OKC to a Game 5 victory despite filling out the stat sheet admirably. With the Thunder's back against the wall, Gilgeous-Alexander will need to be at his best on Saturday, as the Thunder will aim to avoid an early playoff exit on the road in Game 6. The star floor general is averaging 31.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game in the current series against Dallas while riding a four-game streak of appearances with 30 or more points. Rotowire.com 4 minutes ago
     
  • Steps up offensively in win
    Jones had 19 points (7-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, one assist, one block and one steal across 28 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: The Mavericks needed someone to step up offensively due to P.J. Washington's cold shooting and Kyrie Irving's struggles throughout the series, and Jones embraced that role to deliver a playoff-best scoring mark. Jones has scored in double digits in back-to-back contests, setting him up for having a solid role Saturday in Game 6. He's averaging 9.8 points per game in the current postseason run. Rotowire.com 6 minutes ago
     
  • Efficient off bench in Game 5
    Lively totaled 11 points (3-4 FG, 5-6 FT), 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 23 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 win over the Thunder in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Lively has been playing off the bench due to the solid play of Daniel Gafford down low, but the rookie out of Duke made his presence felt on both ends of the court Wednesday. Aside from missing just one shot from the field, Lively was active defensively and recorded the first playoff double-double of his career. Lively is averaging 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in the postseason, and while he looked very good in this pivotal win, he's not expected to move to a starting role ahead of Game 6 on Saturday. Rotowire.com 8 minutes ago
     
  • Poor offensive showing in loss
    Williams registered 12 points (6-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt), six rebounds, three assists and three steals across 39 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 loss to Dallas in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Williams hasn't been able to repeat the same numbers he posted during the first-round series against the Pelicans, and he's yet to surpass the 20-point mark in the current series against the Mavericks -- an alarming figure given he averaged 19.1 points per game in the regular season and 21.3 points per contest against New Orleans. Williams is also shooting a meager 40.8 percent from the field in the current series against Dallas. Rotowire.com 9 minutes ago
     
  • Posts triple-double in win
    Doncic provided 31 points (12-22 FG, 5-11 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists and one block over 41 minutes during Wednesday's 104-92 victory over Oklahoma City in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals.

    Advice: Doncic has been playing through several ailments of late, but that didn't seem to slow him down Wednesday, as he posted his second triple-double of the series while carrying the Mavericks to a huge road win. The Mavericks are now potentially 48 minutes away from reaching the Western Conference Finals, and Doncic is expected to play a prominent role on offense in Game 6 on Saturday. Rotowire.com 11 minutes ago
     
  • Jalen Williams limited to 12 points in Game 5 loss
    Jalen Williams shot 6-of-13 from the field in Wednesday’s loss to the Mavericks, scoring 12 points with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 39 minutes.

    Advice: After scoring at least 19 points in all four games of Oklahoma City’s first-round sweep of New Orleans, JDub has been held in check by Dallas. Game 3 was the only game in which he scored 20 points or more, and he shot 11-of-32 from the field in Games 4 and 5. The steals production has provided DFS players with some production, but Williams has to be more productive as a scorer if Oklahoma City is to force a decisive Game 7. Game 6 is on Saturday night in Dallas. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:39 pm
     
  • Isaiah Joe offers minimal value in spot start
    Isaiah Joe played 21 minutes in Wednesday’s Game 5 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for six points (2-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Thunder coach Mark Daigneault changed the starting lineup for Game 5, with Joe replacing the ineffective Josh Giddey. Joe picked up two quick fouls and could not offer much value in his 21 minutes on the court. While Giddey (11 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer) shot 5-of-8 from the field, the minutes total (12) is a clear sign that he isn’t trusted in this series. The question ahead of Saturday’s Game 6 is whether or not Daigneault will stick with Joe as the fifth starter. And even if Giddey receives the nod, he’s unlikely to get the minutes needed to be of value to DFS players. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:32 pm
     
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores team-high 30 points
    Shai Gilgeous-Alexander logged 43 minutes in Wednesday’s 104-92 loss to the Mavericks, accounting for 30 points (12-of-22 FGs, 4-of-6 FTs), six rebounds, eight assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers.

    Advice: Gilgeous-Alexander had another big scoring night, as he’s scored at least 29 points in all five games in this series. However, he didn’t have as much help as needed, with Chet Holmgren (13/4/1/0/1 with one 3-pointer) being the best of the rest. Dallas is making SGA work, but he continues to get his numbers. Whether or not the Thunder can force a Game 7 on Saturday night depends on whether SGA’s supporting cast increases its production. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:18 pm
     
  • Dereck Lively II records 11/10/1/1/1 stat line
    Dereck Lively II shot 3-of-3 from the field and 5-of-6 from the foul line in Wednesday’s 104-92 win over the Thunder, accounting for 11 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one blocked shot in 23 minutes.

    Advice: Dallas received 48 minutes of solid basketball from its rotation centers, with Lively recording a double-double off the bench and Daniel Gafford (9/7/1/0/1 in 25 minutes) shooting 4-of-4 from the field. Oklahoma City has continued to foul Lively intentionally during crunch time, and the rookie delivered in Game 5. He shot 5-of-6 from the foul line in Game 5 and is now 14-of-21 (66.7%) over the last three games. That percentage isn’t great, but it is much higher than Lively’s number during the regular season (50.6%). Dallas leads the series three games to two and will look to close out the Thunder on Saturday. Rotoworld Yesterday, 9:14 pm